We have multiple families that plan on RV’ing from Dayton Ohio to Mount Rushmore, Yellowstone, and the Blackhills in June. I have tried to find someone to design the trip but can’t find travel agents that do this ;) We have never been and plan on taking approx 2 weeks. We plan on driving there as quickly as possible, and taking our time for site seeing once we get there heading through the sites and towards home. Can you please give us ideas on where we should stop 1st, best sites to see, and how many days to see in each? What we absolutely don’t want to miss and if you have suggestions on where to stay “RV parks” along the way etc? We want to see and experience as much as possible. Thank you!!!

If you're a Good Sam member, you can use their online trip planner https://www.goodsam.com/trip-planner/Take your pick which area you want to visit first, Yellowstone or Black Hills. Mt. Rushmore is 1 day at most, sometimes only a few hours but there's a lot more to see and do in the Black Hills, especially if you like hiking.

Aggressive schedule for my family. Wall drug, Custer np for the bison, prairie dogs, my kids liked the corn palace.

seems to me that the way I would go would be dayton to davenport, to omaha, to sioux falls, to rapid city,to billings and drop down into yellowstone from the North. roughly 2000 miles/4 days just to get there.avoid wall drugs, check out the corn palace.bad lands natl park. see rushmore and crazy horse memorial. devil's tower. you will have over a week of driving and a week to sight see. at yellowstone make a one day trip on the N loop and one day on S loop and try to hit old faithful right. much to see, little time to see it. bumpy

That’s a bunch of driving in a short amount of time. Kids won’t be happy.

For starters search this Forum for each of those locations to get a sense of what they are about.We took the bus tour of Rushmore and Crazy Horse which included a lunch. Leave the driving to others.It's easy to spend four days in Yellowstone.BTW Dayton to Mr. Rushmore is more than 1200 miles :(. That's conceivably three days of driving each way! Nuf said.

Help trip from Ohio to Yellowstone Mount Rushmore Blackhills

JDsdogs
Nomad II
May 27, 2024
We have traveled most of the area you are planning to travel. Others have suggested some great spots to see. What sites are available is dependent on when you are going. Peak summer months can make it tough to find multiple RV sites along the way.
We have had success with both the Good Sam trip planner and RV life trip wizard. We have always traveled by ourselves so have no experience with trying to find sites for multiple rigs. Best of luck and safe travels.
wing_zealot
Explorer
Aug 24, 2020
We did that trip a few years ago.
First day we drove to Albert Lea, MN (no stops, pull through site, didn't unhook).
Second day drove Custer State Park (stopped at the Corn Palace along the way). Stayed there 6 nights. Seen Mt. Rushmore, Black Hills, Wind Caves, Badlands, Wall Drug, Crazy Horse, etc.
Then we went to Gardner, Wy (north entrance to Yellowstone). Went to Devil's Tower and Little Big Horn along the way. Stayed there 6 nights.
Then we drove home (3 days, no stops, pull through sites, didn't unhook); spent 1 night in Cheyenne, Wy., 1 in Des Moines, Ia., home the next night.
valhalla360
Navigator
Aug 23, 2020
With multiple families, be prepared for what will happen if someone breaks down. With multiple rigs and lots of miles, odds are someone will have a mechanical issue along the way.

This creates two conflicting issues...if you need 4-5 sites, particularly at busy locations, reservations are important but if you get off schedule, do you lose your reservation.

PS: Travel Agents would love to plan this for you...you would likely baulk at the price and conditions. To do a decent job would be a lot of work and a lot of risk when you change the plan on the fly and then come back to complain that they couldn't get you in where you wanted.
Busskipper
Explorer
Aug 23, 2020
ifd22 wrote:
We took that trip from Cincinnati last month, our trip was.

1st night travel stop Des Moine Iowa
2nd night travel stop Cheyenne Wyoming
3 nights at Headwaters in Grand Teton national park which is right outside the South Gate of Yellowstone.
5 nights in West Yellowstone Montana
2 nights in Cody Wyoming
3 nights in Custer state park
1 night while traveling home back in Des Moine Iowa

Definitely don’t miss the Grand Tetons.
5 days in Yellowstone was plenty, unless you do a lot of hiking
Cody, including the drive out of the east gate of Yellowstone to Cody was great. Night rodeo in Cody was a highlight of the trip per my kids.
Custer state park in South Dakota was a great surprise. Lots to do there, and also close to Mt Rushmore, Crazy horse, Wind Cave national park, and just a couple hours from the badlands.

Campgrounds were:
Des Moines KOA
Cheyenne KOA
Head water resort GTNP
Grizzly RV resort West Yellowstone
Buffalo Bill state park, Cody WY
Custer state park, SD
Des Moines KOA

All of the destination campgrounds were great, however I would probably do Colter Bay in the Tetons instead of headwaters.

The KOA’s were all friendly and clean, but definitely not where I would want to spend a weekend, but they were convenient right off of the interstate and mostly flat, so we didn’t even unhook the camper.

There you go - Only comments are that you go to the Tetons Via RT 26
Agree with Colter Bay - BUT - FHU's may be available in YNP next year, Fishing Bridge has been under construction and should be open Next year, so you might just check on that, tight but a lot closer to the sights.

If you need FHU's in SD you may just stay in the Custer area not in the Custer SP.

Best of Luck,
- Morrisfamily85
  Explorer
  May 27, 2024
  We are planning this trip. Thanks for the info. My husband heard that campsites out west don’t accommodate larger rigs. We will be in a 43 ft motor home and our son has a 45 foot toy hauler. What are your thoughts on campsite sizes.
ksg5000
Explorer
Aug 22, 2020
With Covid make sure you call in advance to make sure about the status of these Major attractions. Might be closed or might have limitations on attendance which may require reservations etc to even enter/view.
ifd22
Explorer
Aug 22, 2020
We took that trip from Cincinnati last month, our trip was.

1st night travel stop Des Moine Iowa
2nd night travel stop Cheyenne Wyoming
3 nights at Headwaters in Grand Teton national park which is right outside the South Gate of Yellowstone.
5 nights in West Yellowstone Montana
2 nights in Cody Wyoming
3 nights in Custer state park
1 night while traveling home back in Des Moine Iowa

Definitely don’t miss the Grand Tetons.
5 days in Yellowstone was plenty, unless you do a lot of hiking
Cody, including the drive out of the east gate of Yellowstone to Cody was great. Night rodeo in Cody was a highlight of the trip per my kids.
Custer state park in South Dakota was a great surprise. Lots to do there, and also close to Mt Rushmore, Crazy horse, Wind Cave national park, and just a couple hours from the badlands.

Campgrounds were:
Des Moines KOA
Cheyenne KOA
Head water resort GTNP
Grizzly RV resort West Yellowstone
Buffalo Bill state park, Cody WY
Custer state park, SD
Des Moines KOA

All of the destination campgrounds were great, however I would probably do Colter Bay in the Tetons instead of headwaters.

The KOA’s were all friendly and clean, but definitely not where I would want to spend a weekend, but they were convenient right off of the interstate and mostly flat, so we didn’t even unhook the camper.
IDman
Explorer
Aug 22, 2020
Don't waste a stop at Wall Drug store as it is nothing but a large curio shop with many billboards for hundreds of miles around! Custer State Park is worth a couple of days, with scenery, bison, fishing, and relaxing. You could also use it as a base for seeing Mt. Rushmore and Crazy Horse.
Dick_B
Explorer
Aug 22, 2020
For starters search this Forum for each of those locations to get a sense of what they are about.
We took the bus tour of Rushmore and Crazy Horse which included a lunch. Leave the driving to others.
It's easy to spend four days in Yellowstone.
BTW Dayton to Mr. Rushmore is more than 1200 miles :(. That's conceivably three days of driving each way! Nuf said.
Lwiddis
Explorer II
Aug 22, 2020
That’s a bunch of driving in a short amount of time. Kids won’t be happy.
Bumpyroad
Explorer
Aug 22, 2020
seems to me that the way I would go would be dayton to davenport, to omaha, to sioux falls, to rapid city,to billings and drop down into yellowstone from the North. roughly 2000 miles/4 days just to get there.
avoid wall drugs, check out the corn palace.bad lands natl park. see rushmore and crazy horse memorial. devil's tower. you will have over a week of driving and a week to sight see. at yellowstone make a one day trip on the N loop and one day on S loop and try to hit old faithful right.
much to see, little time to see it.
bumpy